Did you get so busy during the week that you forgot to stop by a store and get some diapers, or do you simply not have any money to afford one?
You don’t have to panic because you’re in the right spot. I’ve been in that situation a few times, mostly with me forgetting to get diapers.
I was distressed once during the COVID-19 outbreak as I could not afford the required amount of diapers at a local store around me until a friend who stopped by at my house told me about DIYs to try out.
At first, I thought they weren’t ideal, but since I was stranded, it was better than allowing the mess to sit all over the floor and my baby. It always works in a pinch.
They turned out very helpful, with my favorite being the plastic bag diaper which, as the name implies, is a diaper made out of a plastic bag or garbage bag.
This article will walk you through some of these easy DIYs, emphasizing how to make a diaper out of a plastic bag.
Step By Step Guide On How To Make A Diaper Out Of A Plastic Bag
Using a plastic bag to make a diaper can usually be a temporary solution to a diaper shortage.
A plastic bag can serve as waterproof to other solutions, which I will list later on.
Disposable diapers have a very absorbent interior with an exterior made of plastic, making them exceptional.
This plastic layer provides waterproof for the diaper, putting all the mess in its position while in check.
Here are five steps to follow:
Step 1
Roll out up to two feet or more of toilet paper from its roll.
Step 2
After unrolling, fold the selected length of the toilet paper back and forth in accordion style.
Keep doing this until you get a size covering the crotch areas, including the entire front and back. When done, keep aside.
Step 3
Place a plastic bag on a table. It could be a grocery bag, and polish it out using your hands.
Next, you roll the bag longitudinally and stop when it is one long until it is just one long, tapered rectangular shape, just a bit wider than the make-do toilet paper pad you kept aside.
Step 4
Pick up the makeshift toilet paper and place it on the rolled plastic bag. Ensure that the toilet paper doesn’t touch any of the edges of the plastic bag you have rolled.
Step 5
Hold the toilet paper and plastic bag together and slip them into the adult or baby’s underwear.
The rolled plastic bag should go from above the front of the crotch to the back of the underwear or diaper cover.
And you’re good to go! Place your makeshift diaper in the underwear of the adult or child.
Note:
A Plastic bag diaper can be sure to prevent urine or feces from getting to the underwear or floor, but this method is not 100% guaranteed as it is not strapped to the underwear, so can therefore shift as the baby moves around.
Diaper Substitutes Similar To the Diaper Made Out Of A Plastic Bag
A diaper made out of a plastic bag is just one of many substitutes that can be used for emergencies.
Other diaper substitutes can be used in emergency cases. I’ll talk briefly about them:
Cloth diapers
Most people might get uncomfortable with this idea, but it’s not bad. Keeping one or two of these cloth diapers around for days you might be stranded is always advisable.
Cloth diapers are reusable as they can be washed and are great substitutes for disposable diapers.
Receiving blankets
This is another great DIY you can try out. Some hospitals give away a few receiving blankets to your baby, which can be very useful for different things, especially an impromptu diaper replacement. You’ll need safety pins for it.
Diaper made out of a towel
Like cloth diapers, towels are thick and can be great substitutes for disposable diapers. It’s best to use your baby’s bath towel. However, any other clean towel is fine. Safety pins are also needed for this hack.
T-shirt diaper
Most people have old t-shirts they don’t find useful any longer. Rather than let them stay in the closet, you can reuse them into a diaper for your baby. It doesn’t have to be your favorite T-shirt.
Diapers made out of maxi pads
Maxi Pads aren’t usually used alone for newborns because they aren’t big enough and there’s no strap so keeping them in place on your baby might be a problem.
For newborns, maxi pads can be added to one of the other DIY solutions we’ve talked about, while for older babies who own a few pairs of underwear, you can attach them to the underwear and put it on the child.
Read Also: How To Make A Diaper Out Of A Shirt
Things To Note When Using The Plastic Bag Diaper Substitute
As much as disposable diapers are very convenient and most parents don’t know how to live without them, it’s advisable to know about DIYs.
When trying out the diaper substitute with a plastic bag or any other substitute, note the following questions:
- How absorbent is it?
- Would it stay long on your baby or the adult without inconvenience?
- Can you deal with the mess getting on it?
If your answer is to all of these questions is yes, then that’s the go-ahead! Either way, always do what works best for you and your little one.
Related Posts:
- How To Make a Diaper out of a Towel
- Baby Cries When Changing Diapers (What To Do)
- How To Prevent Diaper Blowouts
- What To Do With Old Cloth Diapers
- How Tall Should A Changing Be? Explained
Conclusion
We hope this article has given us in-depth knowledge to answer the question of how to make a diaper out of a plastic bag.
If you’re not in for the stress of doing a makeshift diaper, it’s best to stock up on diapers, and you don’t have to worry because they don’t expire.
Overall, DIYs always come in handy, and making a diaper out of a plastic bag is a great option I recommend.